Portable propelling apparatus for small fishing craft



May, 1949. A. MONTALBANO 2,468,889 PORTABLE PROPELLING APPARATUS l FoR SMALL FISHING CRAFT Filed May 1, 1947 l 2 Sheets-Sheet l Ard-Hung Nani-albern] ATTD R N EYB M ay 3, 1949. A. MONTALBANO 889 PORTABLE PROPELLING APPARATUS FOR SMALL FISHING CRAFT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 1, 1947 V INVENTOR. h H1/:11H Nnnlalbann mfg/Wwf@ ATrnR'NEYs Patented May 3, 1949 PORTABLE PROPELLINGAPPARATUS Fon SMALL nsnmacnAF'r Anthony Montalbano, Baton Ronge, La. Application May 1, 1947, Serial No. 745,278

This invention relates to portable propelling and steering apparatus for boats, canoes and the like.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a propelling and steering apparatus which is of light weight construction, easy to install .in a boat, and 'adjustable throughout for .adaptation to different size boats.

`It is another object of the present invention to provide a steering rudder arrangement having multiple rudders so that the same-will'be effective in slow water and wherein'thel outer rudders can be adjusted lat vthe ends of the 4arrangement so as to extend into the fast 'moving water leaving the sides of the boat so as to add to the .effectiveness -of vthe rudder' arrangement andalso to vprovide adjustable parts within the rudder' arrangement so that the same-cau be placed at different depths in the water. L

It is another object of the present invention to provide the propelling water wheels with means for'retaining the same at any one of several adjusted positions and at different depths within the water.

It is another object of the present invention to provide with the arrangement a seat which will be carried by the same and which will be located adjacent a steering lever positioned in front of the seat and past which the legs of the operator can extend along opposite sides thereof for engagement with theftreadles of the sprocket drive mechanism for the water wheels.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my propelling and steering apparatus mounted in a boat and ready for use.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 and with portions of the boatl being broken away to show the apparatus.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged rear elevational view of the steering arrangement.

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the sprocket and chain device as viewed on line 4-4`of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows,- the chain and sprocket being used to propelxthe water.

wheel.

Fig. 51s an elevational view of the steering control handle taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows thereof.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top planview looking upon the bell crank to which the control element is attached and as viewed on line 6-6 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows thereof.

Fig. 7 is a side elevational viewof the water wheel guard for preventing water from entering the boat from olf the water Wheel."

6 Claims. (Cl. L15-25) Referring now tothe gures, I5 represents a boat having sides I6 and 1 and a rear board`|8 to which a steering arrangement |9 is attached by means of clamps 2| forming 'a part of the steering arrangement. The propelling arrangement vis indicated generally at 22 and'includes telescopically adjustable frame members 23 and 24 adapted to extend centrally of they boat and adjustable to different lengths depending upon the leg length of the operator sitting on an operators station 25 adjustably connected in an upstanding sleeve 26 fixed to the rear end of the member 24. Connected to the forward end of themembers 23 is a U-shaped member 21 having vacuum cups 28 attached thereto and adapted for; xing thearrangement at the forward end thereof to the bottom 'of the-boat I5. This U-shaped member is extendedv upwardly and is fixed in this position by vbraces 29. The outer ends of the U-shaped member have arms 3| pivoted thereon tothe free ends of which there is connected a drive shaft 32 for water wheels 33. The connection of the shaft is effected by journal bearings `34 extending rearwardly from a transverse member 35 carried on the arms 3|. Depending from this member 35 is a brace arm 36 which is adjustable to have its notches 31 disposed upon a projection to hold the water wheels in any one of several elevated 'positions depending upon-the number of notches provided in brace arm 36. The shaft 32 has a small sprocket 38 over which is extended a chain 39- connected rearwardly-tol a'large driving sprocket 4| having pedal cranks 42 thereon adapted to be reached by the legs Lof the operator. Thissprocket 4| is journalled in an upwardly extending arm 43 xed at' its lower end to the U-shapedmember 21. 1

Extending upwardly from the member 24 is a.

standard 45 to which there is pivoted for lateral shifting movement a control element 46 having a y detachable handle 41 easily accessible to the operators station 25. The control element is secured tothe standard by a pivot bolt 48 and is urged toward the saineand into tight frictional engagement therewith by a spring 49 on the bolt. This spring can beadju'sted to any tightness.

Depending downwardly from the control element 46 is an operating'arm 5| which extends into a slot 52 on an arm 53 of la bell crank 54 pivoted on a vertically extending member 55 fixed to the frame member 24. This bell crank 54 has a laterally extending arm 56l which operates a connecting link or rod 51 attached at its rearward end to a transversely extending rudder supporting member 58 as shown at 59. This rudder supporting member has attached thereto a plurality of rudder elements 60. Outer rudder elements are connected to slides 6| so as to be adjustable outwardly lfromfthe ends of the supporting member 58in order to be 'able tolocate the outer rudders in the fast moving water leaving the sides of the boat.

The supporting member 58 is pivoted to a bracket 63 so that the gang of ruddersA can be adjusted by the rod 51. The bracket 63 has a vertically extending tically extending rod 65 is journalled and retained against Vertical displacement from the sleeve 64 by a collar 66. On the clamps 2l is' an upstanding member 61 to Which the upper end of a chain 6B is connected by a wing nut 69. The lower ends of this chain is connected to the bracket 63. The bracket includes a sleeve 69 which can be adjusted on laterally disposed members 1| and 12 and fixed in the adjusted position by set screws 13. The members 1`l and 12 are adjustable fore and aft through sleeves 14 carried on` opposite ends of a transversely extending plate 16 carried on the clamps 2 l. The members 1| and 12 are held in their adjusted positions in the sleeve 'M by set screws 11. By the use of these members and the sleeve 141 the rudder arrangement can be adjusted to diierent distances from the rear board I8 according. to the wishes of the' operator. Also it will be apparent that by the use of the adjustable bracket B3 that the rudders can be located at diiierent depths inthe water.

The rear end of the frame member 24 is secured to a bolt 18 fixed to the bottom of the boat. for the purpose whereby the arrangement will be positively retained against longitudinal`I the bottom of the boat. Extending upwardly from the member 24 is a standard 8l having laterally extending sleeves S2 and 83 at opposite sides of the same and through which are respectively adjustable brace elements 84 adapted to have their outer ends con'-A nected by a clamp to the sides of the boat. This clamp is indicated at 85.

' These brace rods 8d will prevent the frame fromtilting sidewise and will thus maintain the water wheels 33 at the same depth within the water.

Over the water wheels 33 there are disposed displacement within water guards 81 to prevent the water from'Y beingv directed into the boat from the water wheels.- These guards are supported on brackets 88 having a` transversely extending sleeve 851v adapted to be angularly adjusted on the shaft and x'ed against rotation by a member or arm 9B' extend` ing from the transverse member 35.

It should now be apparent that there has been provided a light weight propelling and steering apparatus which can be adapted to different size boats, easily installed therein and effectively braced.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

l. A portable propelling apparatus for boatsandthe like comprising a longitudinally adjustable frame adapted to extend along the cen` ter of the boat, a U-shaped member connected to( the forward end of thel frame and extending upwardly therefrom, attaching devices on the U-shaped member for detachably connecting the frame' to the bottom of the boat, arms connected to the upper end of the U-shaped member' for pivotal movement in a vertical plane, a shaft journalled on the freev ends of the arms and extending across the boat, water wheels fixed to the shaft andl adaptedto extendv into the water at-the opposite sides of the boat, and means for retaining the arms and several vertically adjusted positions wherebyv to effect the adjustment of the Water wheels' to dierent depths withinI the water..r I

sleeve 64 in which a verthe shaft in any one of 2. A portable propelling apparatus for boats and the like as defined in claim 1, a bracket portion extending upwardly from the U-shaped member, a pedal crank journalled in the bracket and chain and sprocket means connecting the crank with the transversely extending shaft for driving the Water wheels, and an operators station onthe frame in position to reach the pedal crank.

3. A portable propelling apparatus for boats and the like as defined in claim 1, and an adjustable standard extending upwardly from the frame, transversely extending sleeves connected tothe standard at opposite sides thereof respectively, rods laterally adjustable through the sleeves and clamps on the rods adapted to connect the outer ends of the rods tothe sides of the boat whereby to brace the frame against sidewis'e tilting and to' maintain the water Wheels at the opposite sides of the boat at the same depth.

4. A propelling and steering apparatus adapted to be removably secured to a boat comprising a frame extending longitudinally along the. bottom of the boat and secured thereto at the respective ends thereof, a transversely extending shaft extending across the boatA with water wheels thereon adapted to engage the Water, means for 'ad-- justably securing the shaft' to the frame so that the Water wheels can be disposed in the water at different depths, footA pedal mechanism extending between the frame and-the shaft ior'rotating the shaft and the water station on the frame accessible tov thefoot pedal mechanism,` a steering control element connectedl to the frame for lateral shifting movement at` a location thereon between the operators station and the foot pedal mechanism, said steering control element being adapted to be connected. with a rudder arrangement at the rear of the boat.

5. A propelling and steering. apparatus as defined in claim. 4 and a f steering arrangement adapted to be detachably connected to the rear of the boat, said steering arrangement'.comprising clamping members anda transverse member connected to the. clamping member, membersv connected to the opposite ends ofi the transverse4 adapted to be detachably connected to the' rear' of the boat and including a transversely'extending; rudder supporting member, a plurality 'of rudders connected to the rudder supporting' member in transversely spaced relationship thereon, and means for connecting the outerv rudder elements for lateral. adjustment on the rudder supporting. member so that the outer rud` der elements can be. projected into the water leavingthe sides of the boat, and linkage extending between the steering control elements and the rudder supporting member. f

ANTHONY MONTALBAN.A y

No reterences cited;

wheels, an.. cperators".

and. linkage` extend# 

